Apparatus for launching lifeboats and the like



Jan. 7, 1930. G. R; FENNEMA 1,742,353

APIARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFEBOATS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7. 1927 2 Shts-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Kwanzaa:

9 4x24 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 7, 1930. G. R. FENNEMA APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFEBOATS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7, 192'?- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BIN l EN TOR I L 7 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNIT STA res " ATENT OFFICE GABE R. FENINEMA, OF FREEPORT, NEW YORK Application filed July 7, 1927. Serial No. 203,897.

This inventionrelates to an improved apparatus for launching and raising ships boats, such as lifeboatsandthe like, and has as a general object the provision of means for raising and lowering such boats quickly and conveniently and in a positive manner, so that they are always under the control of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved system of davits for launching and raising lifeboats and the like, in combination with means for actuating said davits so that regardless of the weight distribution in the boat the swing of each davit is uniform with respect to the other davit with which it is paired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of davits which is strongly and rigidly constructed, and the relation of parts of which is such that during the lowering and raising of the boat no unnecessary strain is placed on the boat fall leads.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a pair of davits constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown mounted on the side of the ship;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, viewed from the rear;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of the davit and fall mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus viewed from the left end of Fig. 1; i

boats or the like.

In the exemplification shown, the davits 11 are arranged in pairs and are pivotally attached to a vessel 12 by suitable supports, such as brackets 13. Thus they are adapted to be swung outwardly, as shown in dotted lines P in Fig. 7, whereby the lifeboat or the like is swung outboard a distance suflicient to clear the hull of the ship, whereupon it may be lowered away by the boat fall leads, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7.. Although the davits are shown curved, they'may of course be straight or nearly straight, in which case itmay be necessary to cut back the upper deck of the vessel, in the well known manner- For purposes of strength and rigidity,

each davit pair may be connected by one or more cross-members 14, whichare rigidly secured thereto and are so positioned as not to interfere with the. swing of the lifeboat between the davits. In the me ferred construction, the davits are also connected at the tips 15 by a cross-member 16, which is rotatably mounted with respect to the davits by means of hollow'journals 17.

A lifeboat or the like 18 is suspended from the member 16 by any desired boat'fall blockand-tackle construction 19; may be equipped with any desired type of boat releasing means 25; and is normally supported upon chock blocks or the like, 26. Each boat fall.

lead passes from the pulley blocks upwardly 9 to a fixed sheave 20 situated at each end of the member 16, which is appropriately recessed to receive the sheave and lead; thence through the hollow journal 17, and over fixed sheavesgl and 22, secured to appropriate.

with respect to the designed that, the pressure exerted by therams through the rollers will always be norpoints on the davit. Each lead then passes downwardly along the davit and over a fixed sheave'23, the pivot of which is mounted substantially in alignment with the pivotof the davit, and thence to a suitable winch-head or the like 2 4, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 by which the lifeboat may be raised or lowered davits, as desired. The mechanism by which the davits are pushed outwardly includes a pair ofhydraulic rams, in which a suitable fluid, such as glycerine, is used, and the pressure for the operation'of which is supplied by any suitable means, such as an air storage pressure tank 27. 7

As shown'in Fig. 2, one ram is positioned to operateon each of the pair of davits; The.

ram28, which is shown at the left in Fig. 2 is of the combined driven and driving type,

r V and is so proportioned that the capacity of the rearend 29 is double that of the front end 30. The front end 30 is connected by a pipe 32 to the rear end of the ram 31, which operates on the other davit of the pair,and the capacity of the ram 31 is equal to the capacityof the frontend 30 of the ram 28, and therefore is one-half that of the rear end 29 thereof.

Each of the rams 28 and 31 operates onits.

respective davit preferably through a nonfriction roller 33, which operates upon a cam member 34, rigidly associated with the inner faceof the. davit. This cam is preferably so mal to thetangent with the cam at any point of the outboard swing, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

' Connected with the storage pressure tank 27 by means of the pipe 35 is a pressure tank 1 36, containing the liquid which is fed into the rear end of the ram 28 through the pipe 37. Intermediate the tank 36' and the storage tank 27, and-intermediate the tank 36 and the ram 28, the pipes 35 and 37 are equipped with valves 38 and 39.

It will thus be seen that when it is desired toactuate the hydraulic mechanism to push the davits outboard, the valves 38 and 39 may be so manipulated. that the pressure from the storage pressure tank 27 will force the liquid from the tank 36 into the rear end i 29 of the ram 28. By reason of the ratioof the capacity of the rear end 29 to that of the front end 30 of'this ram, 50% of this pressure is transm'ittedthrough the pipe 32 into the rear end of the ram 31, so that each davit is pushed outward at the samerate of speed, and any resistancelto the movement of one 1 which might, for example,'result from an uneven weight distribution in the boat, would be automatically compensated for.

Another feature of the present invention is that a retarding means has been pro,-'

vided-to control the outboard swing after the davits have been pushed out through an arc of about 30, as the weight of theboat takes hold and tends to pull the davits outwardly and downwardly- This retarding mechanism is also associated with a hydraulic ulated as to swing the davits inboard to re ship a lifeboat which has been raised on the boat falls attached'thereto, or to return the ram, which when desired may be so manipdavits to their upright position for receiving I nism in the following manner: From the eye-ring 41 each of these cables 40 passes downwardly and rearwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 ,over vertical pulleys 42. The cable from the left-hand davit in Fig. 2, as is shown in ,detailin Fig. 3, thence passes over the guide pulley'43, which is positioned at right angles to the pulley 42 with which it is associated, and thence'passes to the rear end of the right h'and ram 31 over the rear member of a-double'guide pulley 44, which is shown generally in Fig. 2, and in detail in Figs. 4' and 5. Also the cable 40, attached to the eye-ring 41 of the right-hand davit in Fig. 2, after passing over its guide pulley 42 passes over the inner member of the double guide'pulley 44, parallel to the cable from the other davit, and both cables are securely attached to the T-head 45 of the hydraulic ram 46.-

The hydraulic ram 46 is normally in the retracted position shown: in Fig. 2, and is connected by a pipe 47 to a liquid pressure tank 48, which is similar to the tank 36, and is likewise connected to the pipe 35 leading to the storage pressure tank 27, by a pipe 49, in which is situated the valve 50. In the pipe 47 is also located a valve 51, by which the liquid passing into or out of the ram controlled by the operation of the valves'51 and 52. Also if desired after the weight of the lifeboat has taken hold, the valve 52 may be closed while the valves 50 and 38 are open,

whereupon pressure will be built up in the tank'36, or transferred to the ram 28.

Conversely, -when' it is desired to swing comprises 46 may becontrolled. The pipe 49 is also the davits u wardly and inboard, this may be done by c osing the valve 52 and opening the valves 50 and 51, whereby liquid will-be forced from the tank 48 into the ram 46, forcing the plunger rearwardly. and pulling in on the cables 40. It will of course be understood that when, swinging the davits inboard from the dotted line position in Fig. 7 to the full line position, any pressure on the hydraulic rams 28 and 31 is released by closing the valve 38 and opening the valve52, which, similar to the valve 51, is open to the atmosphere.

It will therefore be seen that by the present invention there is provided a lifeboat launching and raising apparatus, which is adapted .to handle boats of varying weights and load distribution, and which may be conveniently and eliiciently operated with a maximum factor of safety to the occupants of the boat.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements ofthe scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent is: t

1. An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, a cross member connecting said davits and j ournaled therein, said cross member being adapted to support the boat falls of a life-boat, the journals of said cross member in the davits being hollow and adapt ed to have a boat fall lead passed therethrough.

2. An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in'substantially vertical planes, a cross member connecting said davits and journaled therein, said cross member being adapted to support the boat falls of a life-boat, the journals of said cross member in the davits being hollow, and fixed sheaves toward each end of the cross member and on each davit, the sheaves on the davits including one sheave located substantially in line with the pivot of each davit, each of said sheaves being adapted to have a boat fall lead passed thereover.

3. An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, and hydraulic ram means disposed to operate directly on each of said davits synchronously to force said davits outwardly.

.4; An apparatus for launching ships boats,

including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantiallyvertical planes, and hydraulic means disposed to operate on each of said davits syn chronouslyto force said davits outwardly,

said latter means including means for compensating against any increased resistance of wardly the pressure exerted by each of the rams is substantially normal to the tangent of the surface of its cam.

6. An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, and adapted to support a lifeboat therebet-ween, a hydraulic ram associated with each davit and adapted to forcethe davit outwardly, one of said rams being of a combined driven and driving type and having on one side of its piston head a fluid capacity equal to one-halfof the capacity of the other side and equal to the capacity of the other ram, a pipe connecting the said one side of the said combined type of ram with the rear end of the second ram, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to, the said other end of the said combined type of ram.

7. An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, and adapted to support a lifeboat therebetween, a hydraulic ram associated with each davit and adapted to force the davit outwardly, one of said rams being ofa combined driven and driving type and having on one side of its piston heada fluid capacity equal to one-half of the capacity of the other side and equal to the capacity of the other ram, a pipe connecting the said one side of the said combined type of ram with the rear end of the second ram, a liquid-containing pressure tank communicating with said other end of said combined type of ram and adapted to supply liquid under pressure thereto, and means for controlling the pressure thus supplied.

8. An apparatus for launching ships boats,

including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swingoutboard in. substantially vertical planes, and adapted to support a lifeboat therebetween, a hydraulic ram associated with each davit and adapted to force the davit outwardly, one of said rams 'being ofa combined driven and drivlng type and havlng on one side of its plston head a fluid capacity equal to one-half of the capacity of the other side and equalto the capacity ofthe other ram, a pipe connecting the said one? side of the said combined type of ram with the rear end of the second ram, a storage pressure tank communicating with said liquid-containing pressure tank and means ing a forcontrolling the pressure in the liquidthe weight of the boat to exert an outward vertical planes,.hydraulic means acting pull thereon, and other hydraulic means forv synchronously retarding the outboard swing of the davits.

10. An apparatus for launching and raising ships boats, including, in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, and adapted to support a life-boat therebetween, and hydraulic means acting directly on each of said-davits for synchronously forcing said davits outwardly through an arc at least sufficient to allow the weight of the boat to exert an outward pull thereon, and other hydraulic means including a hydraulic ram for synchronously retarding the outboard swing of the davits and for raising and pulling said davits inboard.v I I 11 An apparatus for launching ships boats, including in combination, a pair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially rectly on each of said davits for synchronously forcing said davits outwardly, means connect- 7 boats, including in combination,

' retracted, and

ing each of said davits to the piston of a hydraulic ram, said pistonbeing normally means for retarding the outward movement of the piston as the davits swing outwardly, said hydraulic ram being disposed inboardof said davits and on a line substantially at right angles to their planes of swing 1-2. An apparatus a pair of to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, and adapted to support a lifeboat therebetween, hydrau lic means acting directly on each of said davits pivoted outwardly through an are at least sufiicient to allow the weight of the boat to exert-an for launching ships ram being normally filled with liquid, means for controlling the outflow of li uid from the ram as the davits swing outward y, and means forforcing liquid under pressure intoxsaid ram to again force said ram into retracted position whereby the davits are raised and pulled inboard. i

' 13. An apparatus boats, including inv combination, apair of davits pivoted to swing outboard in substanfor launching ships l tially vertical planes, and adapted to support a lifeboat therebetween, hydraulic meansact ing directly onj each of said davits forsyn chronously' forcing said davits outwardly.

through an are at least sufiicient to allow the weight of the boat to. exert an'outward. pull thereon, ing each of said davits to the piston of a hydraulic ram, said last-mentioned ram 'being disposed inboard of said davits and on a line substantially at right angles to their said piston being normally planes of swing,

filled with retracted, said ram being normally liquid, means for controllingthe outflow of liquid from the ram as the davits swing outwardly, and means for forcing liquid under pressure into said mm to againforce said ram into retracted position whereby the davits are raised and pulled inboard.

14. An apparatus for launching ships. boats, including in combination, a pair of means includinga cable connect I davits pivoted to swing outboard in substantially vertical planes, hydraulic means for synchronously forcing said davits outwardly,

a second'hydraulic'means for retarding the outward movement of the davits, and means connecting the two said hydraulic means.

whereby the exhaust from the second may be fedinto the first. e p

15. An apparatus for launching shipsboats, including in combination, a pair 0 davits pivoted-to swing outboardin substantially vertical planes,

thereby by pivots having a longitudinal opening therethrough, said cross memberbeing adapted to support the boat falls a cross member connecting said davits and pivotally supported 7 or a lifeboat and having a recess at' each end, and a fixed sheave rotatably mounted within each of said recesses, whereby the boat falls may be passed over said fixed sheaves and through the openings in the pivotalysupports.

A In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

V GABE R. FENNEMA.

outward pull thereon, means connecting each 

